Home's Cool with One

Just Tips for now...

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Blessings!!

Plate Spinning.....

Have you ever seen one of those circus acts where the guy runs back and forth across the stage as he spins  plates set up on a skinny stick ... it is amazing how many they get going and you root them on = more more more - until finally they all come crashing down!!

That was our life a few weeks ago... after such a nice restful summer (albiet mandatory rest) Autumn rolled in and we were off and running... it seemed as if we were making up for lost time...

School started and my goal: Stay on Schedule... well... before we knew it the plates started spinning... Co-ops and extra classes, Piano and Boxing, Field Trips and Mom's meetings, Church.. Drama team and Childrens Worship Team... can you help here, we need you here too...and don't forget...The Christmas Production too... I had committed to teaching and  our business started taking off in a huge way and that meant conferences and expos and then there was the usual stuff still to do...trips to the vet, dentist and chiroprator...emails and chat and lest not forget blogging...oops forgot to mention the important ones... family, school, home... Jesus... ( seems they were wobbling barely hanging on...)

and then it happened....

CRASH!!!!!!!!!!!!

The exhaustion began to set in, my endurance began to wain... my longing for a morning in the garden with My Jesus and the Morning Glories.... one by one the plates began to fall... and I let them... I even began taking them off my self... We cancelled some classes, backed out of performances and said no to commitments for the sake of our family...

Sigh... It took a trusted friend to compare my schedule to spinning plates for me to realize how much I was trying to do... my body gave out and I found myself exhausted wondering if I had mono, seriously... it was all I could do to stay awake while spinning our days away...

I'm still spinning plates, we all do... only I can manage the few I have now and when one comes up inexpected, I can spin it too...

I am so thankful that God put me in time out this summer, it gave me the opportunity to treasure rest...

My plates are full... God, Family, Home and School and our Business...

Priorities in balance once again.... ahhhhhhhhhh

another kind of seperation anxiety...

This morning my husband was on his way to a clients home, driving on a back country road , which is a very curvy road surrounded by water on both sides, it is a beautiful drive most days... 

He got to an intersection; a 2 way stop... he stopped and then he turned right to continue on, only his steering wheel kept spinning, he lost control of the car!! 

Thankfully he had just stopped, so he was not going fast and was able to stop the vehicle without an incident and ended up in front of a little bar.  At this same moment I awoke ( earlier than usual) and got up and called him... ( unaware what was happening), he was like " Wow! I was just gonna call you!  ( I love those moments!)

So... he is begins telling me this story - as he is getting out of the car to try and figure out what happened... he looks under the car and can't believe his eyes!! The entire car had seperated from the chassis, the engine and eveything had dropped about 5 inches to the ground!!  The car was in two pieces - a top and a bottom!!

I woke up our daughter and we drove to meet him and give him a ride home and figure out what to do next...

As I drove on this same road he had just driven, I began to realize what God had done this day.  I drove by the same lakes on this winding road that he had just passed. My stomach was churning... I thought to myself... what if this would have happened only a few minutes sooner, he could have ended up in one of the lakes, or he could have lost control and had an impact with oncoming traffic - then my imagination grew bigger -what if he had been on his way up north on the interstate? How many peoples lives could have been affected if this car had split in two at 75 MPH??

But it didn't...God is so amazing!!

His protection is sovereign. In the midst of what most would deem a pretty bad deal - we were praising Him!

 We arrived to pick him up in front of the bar where the car decide to have it's "seperation anxiety" ( thought there needed to be some humor here somewhere!!) ...

Well, anyhow... as we pulled up; on the radio  (KTIS.FM) was playing -

Praise YOU in This Storm by Casting Crowns...

A fitting reminder that He is in control of all things and they will be made to glorify Him!

"Praise You In This Storm"

I was sure by now
That You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

He is here for us in this storm, one that is raging against our finances, there is much more to this story, my husband works commission only and we face the next two weeks with no money coming in. There is no where to look but to Him for the answers... the favor is coming - I just know it - Thank You Jesus, that you protected my family today... We glorify Your name above all the earth!

I am thankful that my husband was protected today from any kind of tragedy.

I am thankful that although the car has been junked, we made $150!

I am thankful that friends have already offered the use of a car the next few days.

I am thankful for the unseen blessings that are coming from this seed of adversity.

I am thankful for the vehicle (unknown) that will replace this one.

I am thankful that we have another car that he can use until this one is replaced.

I am thankful that our refrigerator is full and we do not lack food.

Iam thankful for the protection from the Storms this weekend.

I am thankful for the unseen blessings that are coming our way soon!!!

Until then I'll carry my umbrella and Thank Him knowing He is with me...

Thank You Jesus!

Amen

strong winds can stir things up!!

The winds of change can sometimes blow pretty hard...

Last night we held a graduation party for my son, who will also be 19 in a few weeks. Just as we were making the final preparations before the guests arrived, a storm began to roll in. We went out to look at the clouds, you see we live out in the country and we can see the storms forming way off in the distance, it is pretty cool... I've often thought about becoming a weather spotter...

As we walked past the large cedar tress that line our property we saw something amazing, a cloud with a large hook like cloud hanging down, almost touching the ground within 1/8 mile of our home. The elbow of this cloud began to spin and I knew we were in trouble...

I quickly told everyone to run into the house and down to the basement, I looked at a friend and suggested he move his van from beneath the apple tree, which he promplty did, thankfully... for within 30 seconds of him pulling his van away, the tree came crashing down! Right where he was parked!! My son had just moved his car only 1/2 hour before. That was a little too close for comfort!!

As everyone was scrambling to get inside, we were yelling for my husband, but he was no where to be found. The wind was roaring now and the rain coming down so hard it hurt. My son was being battered by large branches being ripped from trees, trying to find my husband, I begged him to come inside, and with the voice of a man, no longer a boy, he commanded me to seek shelter inside.

From inside the basement we could not see anything through the windows except a swirl of white flying sideways by the small windows, I am not sure if it was a tornado or straightline winds, but it was frightening for the few guests who had arrived early to help with setting things up...  

The storm was raging outside, all we could hear was the sound of the rain beating upon the house as if it were trying to get in and then the phone rang.

It was my son's girlfriends mom, letting me know they would be late. Her husband had just been called out to fight a fire. Seems there had been an explosion at a mechanics shop in the town they live in and the house next to the shop had caught fire as well... the thought of the rapture flashed for a second...

I tried to keep her calm, being far away from her daughter who was with us, waiting for my husband and son to come back in from this horrific storm and her own husband off to fight a dangerous blaze. I had her in one ear (on the phone) and everyone else in the other ear... I was trying to keep everyone calm...

Thankfully our basement is pretty big and the kids were engaged in watching a DVD and were oblivious to all that was going on... I reminded everyone that we are protected by He, whom is bigger than anything this world can bring... I encouraged everyone to pray for my son and my husband to remain safe while trying to get back into the house...

It seemed like time was standing still while we waited for them to return, yet in reality,  it was only a few minutes. My son found my husband, he was on the south side of the house securing the tables and chairs on our big wrap-around covered porch. He had not seen the cloud, nor did he have an idea of the imminent danger we were facing, he was sheltered, and the wind was so strong,  he could not hear us yelling for him to come in. From his vantage point, it was a only a downpour and the tables were getting soaked.

By the time they made it in, they were soaking wet, but they were ok.

An hour later, the guests arrived, the party was moved indoors and it was a wonderful agthering. Later that evening we got the call that the fire was successfully put down and there were no injuries.

We are truly blessed by the outpouring of love and support for my son, and also that we weathered this storm; and the guests were able to share in a moment to wish my son well as he steps onto the next page of his journey here on earth.

Oh Lord, that you would have us lean on you in times of fear, it is in those moments of uncertainty that we need to be reminded of your sovereign power to control everything on earth and in Heaven. Thank you for keeping us all safe and that the damage done was minimal and there was no loss of property. Lord, place your hand upon my son as he ventures off into the world as a man. For he has become a man. Surround him with people of good character, with those that hunger for you, oh Lord! Bless him, Adenai, more than he can think or imagine... I ask all this in your precious Son's name AMEN!